Michael Sylvester wrote:
> Taking a marriage sabbatical is been viewed as an important aspect of
> the growth and strengthening process in marital and family relations.
Viewed as an important aspect by who?
A sabbatical is effectively an opportunity to take time away from a
day-to-day pursuit in the interest of personal and professional growth in
one's chosen field. Thus, if a college professor takes a sabbatical from
teaching, s/he is expected to use that time learning and improving his or
her skills in the academic arena.
Since you use the term "sabbatical" for such an event in marriage,
presumably you are referring to taking a year off from a marriage to make
love to other people for the purpose of improving one's marital skills. Is
this something you seriously believe will strengthen a relationship?
> So the common sense idea that absence makes the heart grow fonder
> may enjoy some support.
As may the idea "out of sight--out of mind." If _your_ spouse left for a
year to "grow" would you be happy about it, or would you be concentrating
on your OWN growth while she was gone--quite possibly with someone else?
> Are there any Developmental texts that include marriage sabbaticals
> or recommend those sabbaticals in the mid adulthood phase?
If there are, they really don't belong in a modern classroom.
Rick
--
Rick Adams
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"... and the only measure of your worth and your deeds will be the love
you leave behind when you're gone. --Fred Small, Everything Possible "
